Sweet Dreams, Dead Man
by Emono
Summary: What if Sonny Sassone killed a marine before Mac busted him? What if it was Tony who finally brought him down? What kind of things would Sonny tell him? Tony DiNozzo/Danny Messer; SLASH, M/M, angst


**Title**: Sweet Dreams, Dead Man  
**Author**: Emono  
**Rating**: FRM  
**Fandom**: NCIS/CSI: New York  
**Pairings**: Tony DiNozzo/Danny Messer  
**Disclaimer**: It's never mine *pout*  
**Summary**: What if Sonny Sassone killed a marine before Mac busted him? What if it was Tony who finally brought him down? What kind of things would Sonny tell him?  
**Beta**: gil_follower  
**Warnings**: Angst, past Sonny/Danny, slash. Spoilers for "Tanglewood" and "Run Silent, Run Deep"

**H/C Prompts: **General Table 1 – Tony/Danny  
**Prompt:** #3 – Monster Under The Bed  
**Word Count: **2267

"Don't do this" Danny pleaded with him, putting his hands on lover's chest to physically hold him back from the interrogation room "Let Gibbs do the interrogating, Anthony."

"Danny" Tony sighed wearily, blanketing his lover's hands "This is my case. The Tanglewood boys killed a navel officer, and as much as Gibbs is itching to get his hands on him…I'm kinda scared he'll just go straight for the throat and kill this guy."

"But it's _Sassone!_" Danny groaned, tugging at the man's sleeve petulantly "Just let Gibbs loose on him, if just for me?"

Tony smiled apologetically, "I can't, _amore_."

"But Louie just…" Danny blinked back those welling tears "I'm not going to loose anyone else to that scum-bastard."

"You won't."

Tony maneuvered around the blonde, heading straight for the door.

Danny bounced on the balls of his feet, trying to think of some way to stop the man. But he quickly realized his lover was much too stubborn to be stopped on a case that Gibbs had all but gifted to him. Plus, it was cross-jurisdiction…that made this a delicate NCIS matter.

There was nothing the blonde could do to stop his lover from walking to the proverbial lion's den…nothing stood between Tony and a direct access to his past.

"Tony!"

Tony paused a last time, looking over his shoulder. Danny slumped in defeat, eyes glistening behind his glasses. He cleared his throat, desperate to gather his bearings.

"Just…don't think differently of me" Danny nearly pleaded "Whatever he says…I love you, no matter what's happened in the past."

Tony flashed him a bright smile, "Love you too, Dan."

Tony disappeared into the interrogation room, Mac and Jethro watched impatiently behind the window there. Danny slowly trudged his way to the hidden room to join them, dreading every second Tony was alone in there with his ex-boyfriend.

Danny snorted humorlessly, //More like my ex-bastard.//

**~*~**

"Sonny Sassone" Tony drawled, closing the door behind him.

The man set there carelessly, an arm thrown over the back of his chair and legs stretched out. An easy smirk was on his face, a dark gleam in his eyes. To the everyday person he would appear intimidating, but Tony had put guys away bigger and scarier than this punk. And he looked nothing like anyone from _The Godfather_, it was kind disappointing.

"You another copper?" Sonny scoffed "I told that Marine, I'd be out within the week. And here I am again…" the man gestured outward with his other hand "I might sue for harassment."

"I'll get your lawyer right on that, punk. I'm a special kind of copper, I'm a fed; NCIS" Tony rattled off "And if you want to stop being bothered, you have to stop killing. Screwed up system, I know. But hey? What can you do?"

"NCIS?" Sonny's brow creased, momentarily thrown "Never heard of it."

Tony wasn't surprised anymore, "To sum it up: You and your _boys_ killed a navel officer, Sassone…bad choice."

Sony played it cool, "I didn't kill no sailor."

"Really? You didn't do this?" Tony spread out the photos from the file, revealing a man's broken and swollen face "Petty Officer Houlihan. He just got off the ship two days ago. He had no idea he was in your turf, did he? You took him out Mafia style, huh Sassone? Beat him to a pulp, then put him on his knees and shot him in the back of the head. He never even saw the gun."

Sonny saw that he was caught, "I didn't catch yer name, Super Cop."

"Special Agent DiNozzo."

Sonny busted, his laughter echoing in the interrogation room. He curled his arms around his sides, throwing his head back and just _laughing_. Tears of mirth were ready to stream from his eyes, but he managed to ruin it in. His laughter turned to snickers, and soon he calmed enough to talk coherently.

"_Tony_ _DiNozzo_?"

Tony merely raised a brow at him.

"This is rich, this is perfect!" Sonny sighed in satisfaction, sides aching "I can't believe this is happening!"

Tony frowned, "Ok, I'll bite…what is it you find so amusing?"

"Two words, Super Cop" Sonny made a face "Danny. Messer."

Tony stiffened, he pulled away from the table, "This is about Petty Officer Houlihan, not what you think you know."

"What _I_ think _I_ know?" Sonny scoffed, his thick accent picking at Tony's nerves "Maybe you don't know Messer like I know him."

//What the hell am I supposed to do?// Tony was growing frustrated //Gibbs, damn it…there's no rule for when the suspect starts talking about your lover!//

"He ran with us, don't let him tell you otherwise..." Sonny grinned lecherously, relaxing back into the chair "Sometimes those bimbos aren't enough, ya know? Sometimes you gotta somethin' firmer, something sweet…something blonde and easy on the eyes."

Tony felt a hot wrath growing in him, eyes hardening and jaw clenching.

"So young…so eager to please" Sonny flashed his teeth, clearly enjoying the memories "Trailed after Louie…who was I to say no to 'im? He just wanted some attention, wanted someone close…yeah, he was always up for some _attention_. Pour enough drinks down his throat, ya could pass 'im around. Oh, all the Tanglewood boys loved 'im…it's those pretty blues that does it to ya. Dontcha think so, Super Cop? "

Tony's posture shifted defensively, but he didn't say a word.

Sonny tisked, nodding, "In a way, Super Cop…yer handling my sloppy seconds. Hope he's good enough for ya, I wouldn't want ta' learn Messer's gotten lax over the years. Back then, with a little work…he could give as good as he got."

Tony bit back a growl, "I think if you don't 'fess up to Houlihan's murder-"

"You know what the best part about him was?" Sonny leant forward, his grin cat-like "At seventeen, he could take it like you wouldn't believe. After a while, he even stopped screaming."

"You should've kept your filthy hands to yourself, you bastard!" Tony seized the man's lapels in his fists, picking him up out of his seat and slamming him into the wall. True fear bloomed in Sonny's eyes when he saw how angry the man was, the wrath of hell was unleashed in this one man. "He was only a kid! I should beat the hell out of you right now, mafia style, and put a fuckin' bullet your eyes!"

Sonny nearly whimpered when he was shoved harder into the wall, head knocking off the concrete.

"Admit what you did to Petty Officer Houlihan!" Tony growled "Admit to Louie Messer's assault! You put one man in the hospital, the other in the morgue! Didn't you?!"

Tony shouted something fierce in Italian, then threw the man on the ground. Sonny cowered on the cold floor, eyes wide with horror. Tony pulled out his gun, pointing it at the man.

"Y-You can't…" Sonny choked out.

Tony glared, "Don't think I won't."

"Ok, I admit it already" Sonny's breath was getting quicker by the second "Me and my boys found that sailor wanderin' around our turf! We took 'im out, he had a smartass mouth and a nasty look! We saw Messer talkin' to Taylor, so we taught him a lesson! I admit it all! I'll do the time, I'll do it! I swear!"

"Ya know what, Sassone?" Tony let an Italian accent slip, mocking the bastard "I can't find it in me ta' care. Sweet dream, dead man."

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs came into the room, followed by Mac "Stand down!"

Tony slipped into something primal, "Permission to treat this man like a hostile suspect, _sir_!"

Mac took a sick thrill out of seeing Sonny scared, but shook his head, "Permission denied, Special Agent. Now lower your weapon."

"I don't answer to you, Taylor" Tony cocked his gun, eyes dark as they took in the fear on Sonny's face.

"You answer to _me_, DiNozzo!" Jethro growled "And I say stand down!

The gun trembled in the brunette's grasp, "This man-"

"Anthony…"

Tony glanced up, spotting his lover entering the room. Danny looked pathetic, eyes wide as they fell on the gun, "Get out of here, Danny."

"Anthony, don't do somethin' stupid" Danny pleaded "You could go away for a long time if ya kill him in cold blood…don't do that to me, _amore_."

Tony took two shallow breaths, then slowly lowered his gun. He uncocked it, but kept his fingers curled around the hilt. He stepped back, looking between the three men.

"Sorry" he gave a large smile that didn't reach his eyes "Lost my cool."

"Come on, Anthony" Danny reached out, gesturing the man closer "Let Gibbs take over, you've done enough. Ya got him on the Petty Officer, and my brother. Let's go…"

Tony took a step toward the man, but froze at Sassone's chuckle.

"Yeah, Super Cop" Sonny scoffed, cockiness returning "Listen to the beggin' bitch!"

Tony snarled, rearing back and slamming the butt of his gun into Sonny's temple. Before he could be pulled away, Tony wiped the blood off on the man's jacket and stepped away coolly.

"Come on" Tony whispered, curling his fingers in the crook of his lover's elbow and leading him out. Mac began to read the man his rights, with Gibbs adding a few comments here and there.

Danny found himself pulled out towards the side of the hall, out of the way of anyone else. Tony turned on him with hurt in his eyes, a frown marring his handsome features.

"Is it true?" Tony hissed "Everything he said…"

Danny could only look up into his lover's eyes, "I'm sorry."

"You didn't tell me about this, all you said was that you were a kid" Tony wasn't sure what to make of all this, his mind was going in seven different directions at once "Danny, you should have told me…"

"And have ya look at me like ya are now? No thanks" Danny pulled his arm out of the man's grasp, hurt showing on his face "I told ya I made some mistakes, and I was just a scared kid…I didn't want a bullet in my head, or a knife in my back. Ya know they woulda, Tony, if they saw me as a threat. Louie didn't always see what went on, and Sonny was always pourin' alcohol down my throat…"

Danny took another step back, the heel of his hand digging into his eyes, "God, Tony, I don't even remember half of it…"

"_Amore mio_…" Tony murmured affectionately, bringing the man into his arms "Sh-sh, I got you."

"I'm sorry" Danny sighed, taking in the warmth of his lover "I just wanted ta' survive."

"I'm not mad, and I don't think you're some kind of gang-slut" Tony made the other look him in the face "I wish you would've told me, but I understand. You did what you had to do…you got out, turned your life around. I'm proud of you, Danny, and I love you for who you are now."

Danny chuckled brokenly, "That's such cheese."

Tony cupped his cheek, running his thumb over his lover's bit of golden blonde beard, "But you love it."

"I do" Danny relaxed "So…we're ok?"

"We're ok."

"Damn you, Messer!" Danny tensed all over, they turned to watch Don drag Sonny away in handcuffs. The man was pissed, but held no more threat now. "Ya can act like yer high and mighty, but I know who you are! Yer nothing but a Tanglewood _whore_, and that's all you'll ever be! A bitch to be passed around!"

Sonny kept shouting, but it was muffled as Don rounded him around the corner roughly. It was muffled, and soon faded away completely. Danny shook delicately, trying to ignore the way his heart constricted. Tony wrapped an arm around his lover's shoulders, pulling him close next to his side.

"Let's grab some Ray's" Tony offered, leading the blonde down the opposite hall "I'm in the mood for some pizza and that new Kiefer Sutherland movie…what is it? _Mirrors_, that's it. I hear it has some weird ending and-"

Danny listened to his lover ramble in a daze, smiling goofily and enjoying the jealous looks he was getting from some of the female lab rats.

Maybe his past mistakes weren't so horrible…maybe they were just like monsters under the bed, once exposed in the sunlight, they were harmless. The past was just that…_the past_. And Tony loved him too much, he wasn't going to abandon him on some scum-bag's word.

"Danny?" Tony tisked "Hello?"

"Yeah, let's stop at the movie pace on the way home" Danny eagerly agreed "But we're grabbing _Proof of Life_ too…I'm in the mood for some action."

Tony grinned, dipping his head and dropping a kiss behind his ear sweetly, "I'll give you all the action you can handle, babe."

Mac watched them leave, shaking his head. Stella just sighed, patting him on the shoulder.

"He better not hurt Danny" Mac stated firmly "He doesn't deserve anymore loaded on him."

"Have some faith, Mac" Stella assured him "Tony's a good kid."

Gibbs stepped up behind them, causing her to jump as he spoke.

"He's far from _good,_ Detective" Gibbs scoffed, sipping his coffee "I want him back in a week, Taylor. If he's late, it's your ass I'll be riding."

Mac couldn't suppress the flush that stained his cheeks as the man left, blinking after him.

Stella gaped, "Did he just…?"

Mac held up a hand, "I don't want to talk about it."

_**De Fin**_


End file.
